No Kennedy Cup this year, SFAI confirms

The Kennedy Cup competition will not be taking place this year, the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland has confirmed.

A tournament for Under 14 boys, the Kennedy Cup is held annually in June featuring the best talent from the 31 leagues in Ireland.

Last year Mayo finished runners-up in the competition to the powerhouse of Irish underage football, the Dublin & District Schoolboys League.

In a statement released this afternoon, the SFAI said that following a video conference meeting on Saturday last (May 16), their executive committee decided that all of its member leagues would be eligible to recommence fixtures and football activity once the schools have reopened, and suggested the weekend of September 5/6 as being the most appropriate date to restart.

The statement continued: “The restart will of course be subject to strict compliance with any government agencies and FAI medical director Dr. Alan Byrne’s directions surrounding the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

“With the uncertainty of the health situation and its restrictions it was agreed to clarify the situation and cancel the staging of the 2020 Kennedy Cup tournament. It was also agreed that SFAI competitions at both Skechers Cups and SUBWAY (inter-league) competitions levels, which have not been completed up to now, will not be completed.”

Kiltimagh/Knock United and Castlebar Celtic had reached the quarterfinals of the Under 16 and Under 14 SFAI Cups respectively.

*Pictured above, the Mayo squad on the podium after finishing runners-up to DDSL in the 2019 Kennedy Cup at the University of Limerick.